Realizations
by Pine Tree Horizon
Summary: "It's very rare to be changed by a single person."- Murdoc Niccals.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Ironic Illusions Illustrate Influence

_Never, ever tell him,_ he once whispered to Noodle. _It's just not my personal being to care._ Even the slightest of bits in his heart. Murdoc was never known throughout his fifty-eight years, and during a badly influenced childhood of hidden pain, to care outside of his shell. And rarely is it that people can change by one person, to him a certain little guitarist. She was grown up by now, aged eighteen. He only felt turning in his life for hers if life-death situations were worth it. She was young after all. They were a family after all, and she was like his little sister. She was his "little special one", a girl with thoughtfulness, a wise and guarded conscience, and confidence. And initially, eleven years back, he was just thinking of a band, not people.

Each band mate was loyal to him for different reasons with individual perspectives. Russell kept a protective suit of armor between his temper rants on other people. He, as well, would keep Del, his ghost companion, quiet from ticking Murdoc off most of the time after the year 2003. For Noodle, loyalty came raining from her faith in him of changing, like the cycle of a butterfly confinement from its cocoon. She watched that cocoon crack while the rays of leisure sunlight peeked through. Sure she had fights with him here and there; she would not scam him and coax him into prison. Last there stood 2d, Stuart Pot as he nearly forgotten his full name. His loyalty was built on the lumpy paths of fear and confusion. His weakness resulted innocence, which was a tease in his eyes. 2d may be an actor, but he sure was modest in this time being. He was on the urge to impress Murdoc, and too understand why exactly he kept him alive after weeks of silence; he was too ignorant to accept him as Stuart Pot.

That morning, Murdoc rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, dry and red. He mumbled and shook his head in disgust. His shades were open again, the sunlight shining directly in his face. Shading his eyesight, he walked across his Winnebago and yanked them shut. Grumbling, he glared at the object on his desk and threw it onto the dusty floor with kinetic force, losing potential.

"I am not dealing with you anymore! I mean it was Noodle, come on!" He dug his bony finger into his shirt, three pointed down at the inverted cross. He kicked it into a ditch beneath his mattress.

"I have no idea what I'm going to do anymore. No faith, nothing…Maybe, noodle?" Choosing this odd state meant nothing and everything to him concurrently.

His feet met cold dirt and raw egg outside. Somebody splattered a whole dozen across the landfill carelessly, the carton flung to be stuck under the wheel of his jeep. Rolling his eyes, he stepped into Kong Headquarters. The sun sat on a vertical diameter in the sky, which meant it was noon time. That's the way he liked it, he was never fond of being bothered earlier. Holding still in privacy of trees to squint and listen to birds for a moment, Noodle flashed inside of his mind. Then the usual, he headed to the kitchen expecting his mates there also for lunch.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Flaking Forgiveness of the Unforgotten

Inside the kitchen, aromas of rigatoni and basil tomato sauce fried in a skillet. Russell added touches of salt and margarine for secret spices. The spatula sizzled as it scraped the burnt sauce from the edges. Bubbles popped and splashed juices onto the stove top. Setting the dial on low, he sensed Murdocs' coming, the smell of onions and lack of showering.

"Ey' lards," He mumbled, jostling in with hands inside his jean pockets and oddly enough, wearing a shirt. The oddest appeal was the absence of the golden cross he wore three hundred and twenty five and half days a year. He slid the chair and sat down, slouched forward. An empty bowl stared back at him, reflecting his melancholy creases.

"Morning," Russell nodded. He scratched a wad of sweat from underneath his baseball cap and untied his apron. When he shut the cabinet underneath the sink, he did not need to predict the usual request of his.

"Are you going to want a drink?"

"Eh? Sure… water? Thanks. Ey, I'll be right back, okay?" Murdoc suggested, eyes darting back and forth in an awkward state. He did it! Now he just made a fool of himself leaving the room instantaneously afterward, chair knocked to its side. Russell snickered nervously and sat it back up straight. Something was up with Murdoc, and he had sealed suspicion.

He set out a plastic cup and sprinkled fresh water halfway for his mate. Then he entered the recording studio where 2d practiced melodicas in his spare time.

"Hey d'. Man, where did Murdoc go? Noodles' not here either?" He asked. 2d blinked as his lanky fingers mounted each note evenly.

2d shrugged. "All I know is Noods' not in any harm."

"D', did you ever wonder…?" He paused, not positive how to put this correctly.

"Are you making fun of me?" He stopped playing, eyebrows furrowed.

"No d'," He replied honestly. "Getting to my point, I think Murdoc is laying it easy, you notice at all?"

"You're kidding, right?" He chuckled with his toothy grin. "You couldn't have noticed anything easy in his mind and heart, could you?"

"Have you seen him this morning? Last night?" Russell asked. 2d was becoming distracted with the organ, Russell gently pushed his hand away and shut the cover loud enough for him to come to reality. "D', whatever he says in the meantime can change our lives forever… I have a straight-down question for you, and I hope to wit you have a straight-down answer for me."

He saluted, which Russell ignored.

"I have a feeling Murdoc is going to ask us each if we want to-"

Meanwhile, Murdoc took the lift to the second floor. Following the gentle strum of Noodle's guitar, he did not need the guidance of posters on the wall, from anime to zombie movies to Brooklyn Dogers'.

"68 State. How beautiful, love," He recalled the tune, knocking lightly on her door. She muttered something in Japanese and rolled her eyes as expected to his instant barge in. Greeting him mannerly, he commented the song again.

"Gotta love that one, eh?"

She nodded and zipped her guitar case for future rehearsals. He sat down on the edge of her bed and gestured her to sit beside him. She just stood there, suspicious and a bit frantic.

"Uh sorry, were you busy? I'll leave… I mean-"

"Did you want to talk about the decision you asked about the other night?" She sat cross-legged and tall against the corner of her bedroom. He stood up and awkwardly knelt down by the parallel wall.

"Noodle, are you okay?"

"Just tell me your decision."

He couldn't help but blow it. Murdoc felt shy around his guitarist, and it made her feel uncomfortable. He was hiding something

"Nice hair, did you cut your bangs again? I mean since, wait…"_Did he have did bring that up again?_

"Since…my false death? Is your decision based from lies you've told everybody else? Is it of guilt?" her voice offered a hint of squeal. He was in for her rants soon enough.

"No… no, no, no," He chuckled, embarrassed. Embarrassed because she knew the truth.

"You promised you would never speak of that again. Now you want to remind 2d and Russell?"

"Sorry I'm me," he told her. Now he was regaining his dignity. Part of his shedding shell regretted the forming back of his old self. Noodle rose and stood like a statue, narrowing her emerald eyes. She couldn't believe she let herself be so gullible, now he betrayed her!

"Was this what you wanted to bring up, after years of recovery and understanding? We had an agreement, a _pact_. Be honest or I'm leaving right now."

He watched her leave, and imprint marked on the corner of her green rug. He faintly heard her sniffle, or did he imagine it? "I bet Lunch is ready now. Baca…"

"Wait… ugh, Noodle. You get back here," he attempted, losing his closest mate. He went too far, stretching past the line. He jammed a button on the lift and intolerantly pleaded for the lift to stop and the doors to fly open. Down the hallway, Noodle spun around. He cut her deep again, tears marked her shiny cheeks.

"I could have died. And if you use that as an excuse for your decisions, then you're making us all resemble bad reputations, as a band and as a family."

"What about the helicopters though? You can't just blame me. I tried saving your life," he admitted, perhaps with overloaded self pride.

"You," She sputtered, "hired them, and their helicopters. Your friends, they acted as if they were attacking the windmill island. They watched over shamefully, I reckon, because of you. Meanwhile, you forced 2d to weep his vocals out over my fake death, left Russell out of the next album after all of his help, and let our fans down. Or should I say _your_ fans, if you call it your band. You are my big brother, but after that, it is impossible to forgive you after tearing apart our family. I cannot understand how I will forgive you, I simply can't."

As she folded her stiff arms across her chest, she hid her disappointment, shoulders heaving. Long purple-tinted hair fell over her face as she glanced at him with a look brushing off on him with guilt, and stepped into the kitchen. Bittersweet guilt. His heart cramped like lightning. The subject killed her softly inside, it still ached now, seven years later. He should have ignored it. Then it rained.

Time for Plan B.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Tongue Ties and Teary Eyes

She felt young again as she slumped in her seat inside of the lonely kitchen. She heard Russell storm off after Murdoc. She wished he would stay out of that mess, though she just sat there, head buried in her folded arms. Her stomach grumbled and she peered at the bowl in front of her, steaming hot. The surface cooled a bit, and she plucked a strip of rigatoni and sucked on it like candy. It tasted sweet and sticky; she slurped it down with a cold glass of milk. Then she returned to her seat, streaked with tears still, and waited.

The yelling rambled on in the distance. Noodle focused on other things. She thought about leaving, going back to Osaka, Japan. Maybe she could reunite with her biological family. She stopped twirling her noodles with her fork when she realized she was being watched.

"Noodle, are you alright?" 2d entered and sat across from her. "What's wrong?"

"No," She whispered and mumbled in Japanese.

"What? Nani?"

"I was talking to myself, not you." Her eyes were cast to her bowl, in slits.

It took awhile before 2d could answer. He wanted nothing but to comfort her.

"You need some girlfriends around this dump here," he tried to make her crack a smile. She sat still. He tried something else.

"Well, it's a great thing you told Russ. Holding it in is bad for the soul."

"You hold back your fears all the time," She reminded him, knowing that the statement was somewhat relevant to his own past experiences.

"Only from Murdoc… and sometimes Russell, although that was years ago mainly. Besides, you know how to deal with Murdoc more than I can."

"It's kind of ironic how we can't trust each other fully as a band, as a family. You never trusted him because he used to explain that he only 'needed' you here for your voice."

"Yeah…"

"He doesn't hurt me for my boldness. You let it slide with fear like a cat-mouse fight on a broken rut. He has easy advantage on you."

"He'll hit me if I even try to-"

"Speak up? You should try it," she interrupted with sarcasm, yet being truthful. She sipped the rest of her milk and put it in the sink. Through his mind, your voice is the reason for you still living from that accident."

2d sighed. "Noodle… what exactly is the issue here?"

She apologized and sat back down, cross-legged.

"We switched subjects, yet you're the perfect example of Murdoc-sans' guilty past. Not to be rude, but you _are_."

Murdoc made a whopper of a mistake, and I understand, but this was about 'El Manana'. He brought it up on purpose, seven years later. You remember, you sing it onstage when I'm not on with you three. Literally, we were all cut from the incident, and it reached our fans on purpose, for the show. For murdoc."

"Noodle," 2d smiled meekly. "Are you afraid?"

"Of what?"

"Murdoc."

"No, I am persuading myself not to act on revenge, so I needed to speak somehow. Yet I don't want negative attention and sympathy from all our fans. You're the one who told me it was good to let it out."

"Not all of it, if it hurts that bad."

Noodle chuckled, exhausted and surprised from holding in her breath every time before speaking. She wiped her cheeks.,

2d blinked and hesitated.

"Need a hug?" He stretched out his lanky arms, but quickly hung them by his sides when she shook her head, regaining confidence.

"I'm fine now, see my face?"

"Yeah… pretty?"

"I meant by showing that I stopped crying, you goof."

"Oh come on, I'm not that stupid," he defended. "I just don't know how to read your expressions, especially like now; you're usually off the spot with energy and so much happiness."

"I never called you that. Murdoc's mistake, well… it was his fault." She felt herself rude to admit it; however, she was still unsure of him. He was a stranger today.

Soon after, Russell returned followed by Murdoc.

"Noodle," the green-skinned man returned to his cold dish next to Russell. "Since I am, ugh, fairly unforgiving, I have come up with a choice."

Russell nudged his foot.

"With his help," he added, rolling his eyes and pointed toward Russell.

She sat up tall and peered away from her food.

"New album, video, or world tour?"

"Better. How about this? We can all part our own separate ways or trail west while proceeding with another album," He announced. Russell's' eyebrows rose in shock, this was far more than he had promised him just a minute ago.

Noodle slightly cocked her head to the side. She knew what this meant for 2d straight away- freedom, of course. For her, it meant the tough task of reliving her stolen childhood back in Japan. Russell would return to Brooklyn with Del as well. Anyone could predict what Murdoc may get into. He didn't have to break his dream band if this was his only way of announcing the decision. Did he?

2d stared off-center, stunned and curious. _Noodle, I understand what you mean,_ he thought to himself. The flashback of headlights jeering into his Uncle's shop came to mind. He gazed for a moment toward his hands, folded on his lap. Because of Noodle and Russell, he felt like saying it.

"Well… I think I quit," He whispered and noodle gasped silently. This was not her exact attempt, just wanted to comfort him. Was she being selfish before? Murdoc predicted this. Russell shook his head in reaction.

"Go, dullard. Run on home then."

"Murdoc…" Noodle panicked.

"Are you positive d'? How?" Russell asked. 2d stood up immediately and sauntered out of the room.

"A map," He called. Noodle wanted to chase after him, but the back door to Kong Headquarters did not creak open, one bit.

"He's crying," Russell examined within the eerie silence.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Winding down this tape machine

"Fine, I'll get him," Murdoc decided and grinded his fists under the table as Noodle gave him a stern look and Russell nudged him in the arm. Down the hallway, he called his name. After five minutes of tracking him down, he hollered.

"Face ache, get you string bean self out here or else I'll bring that whale back!" He choked on a laugh as 2d came sprinting out of the coat rack.

"Of all places?" He commented, flicking a glove out from his azure spikes.

"_What do you want from me?_" 2d surrendered. Murdoc calmly pointed to the kitchen and 2d nodded. "Was that a trick so you could beat me up again?"

He thought of a new answer for Russell, made to irritate Murdoc.

"I could've built a raft to get away from you and this stupid plastic rubbish. That hit like a stone on Noodles' heart. _Was this her fault, did she tell him to speak too soon? Was it Murdocs' fault, though? _Whoever, 2d just did not understand in his confused runabout.

"2d, we all love you. We are family. Murdoc, admit it." She explained. "If you didn't care, you would have searched for somebody else, for sure. Either that, or find an advanced technology to remove his vocals and imply them into a robot, throwing him to the dump."

2d jolted. "What did you just say?"

"Yeah, Noodle…" Murdoc agreed.

"You feeding and clothing him has nothing to interfere or boost his voice. Think about it."

"Why would I go far to bringing him back from the dead? He would have more fear from that trauma; I'd never get a word out of his mouth." Murdoc chuckled. "I was never going to kill you, 2-dents. It's not just your voice; it's the soul of yours, so elegant. Every soul is worth the will to live."

The room grew quiet.

"My soul… Muds, you could've just asked me in the beginning."

"First off, I craved revenge since you dented my car. Second, if I gave you the will in the first place, you would say 'no."

"Things could have been different. I'm honestly not sure; I wasn't awake to see the chance."

"Yes, you never asked him or Noods, but asked me," Russell pointed out softly.

"Russell, you know how to pin me down when I'm out of wack," Murdoc snorted.

Russell glanced at Noodle who shrugged.

"After all those years?" she asked. "You saved our lives though throughout."

Murdoc turned toward 2d.

"Well…" What's his name again, he thought. "What's it going to be, Stuart?"

2d paced about for a while. He followed Noodles' advice gratefully, but he was still a loyal mate. Thinking took time.

It's vaguely coming back to me," He exclaimed. "You did apologize to me in the hospital before your idea of a band, if I remember correctly. I'd love to since what you've just said. We've still had some great experiences in the past anyway."

"If it's from the drugs, we should really begin to lay off slack," Murdoc reasoned. "My drinking is the problem also, and childhood influence and neglect. Sorry I flipped your life overboard and off the wall."

That did it for the budding of a new challenge.

Russell piped up. "Man, if you stay, I'll stay. I can feel Noodle that way also."

The final question was banging on 2ds' head.

"You're not going to keep hurting me, are you?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Buttoning up Blue Butterflies of Fear

"With a necessary reason," Murdoc declared.

"What do you mean?" 2d asked. "You can scream your head off rather than use me as your physical marshmallow beater."

"No idea 'bout you, boy."

He smirked. "You do realize that I am going to be thirty years old in three weeks, right?"

"You're too weak. You deserve to head on home, to your family where you're from," He went on."

Noodle hugged 2d, fresh tears in her eyes. "You were and always will be my amazing brother who smells like butterscotch. I am proud of you for speaking up."

Murdoc rose an eyebrow curiously as 2d grew red in the face. Then a thought sunk in.

"Are you mad at me because of 2d?" He asked Noodle. He even stopped prodding him with those old nicknames. She frowned.

"You would rather be drunk at a club than be equal with each one of us. A family cracking, that's why. You want perfection. That is not simple." She inched closer to his chair, meeting eye level. "It felt like you were pushing us aside on purpose. You enjoyed being trapped in the tower for several days trying to… ugh, never mind."

"To impress some ladies?"

She winced, disgusted. Russell slapped some sense into him.

"Sorry, Noodle."

"No you are not." She shook her head. "And now with independence and given will, I reckon quitting."

Murdoc forged himself a look of understanding, still not hinting an idea.

"Listen, please. There's a reason why I detest people like Paula Cracker…"

"Her again?" 2d interrupted, dismayed.

"Just wait and listen. They do not care what other people think, what the children will see 'private things' as. She doesn't care, I do. 2d here needed a break from that blood sucking vermin. I would never send a child bad influence to suffer through life. It's a scar left that bugs you for eternity once wounded. Besides, quitting booze is a challenge overlooking my conscience. Good thing you don't follow the shit I do, girl. I taught and learned from each one of you, like true mates."

"You shift my heart around like an annoying mate," She complimented.

"Yeah, I can accept that," Murdoc agreed and faced 2d. "I won't bring _her_ up again."

"The other one," He joked.

"Ay Stu-pot, album or not? Forces detached."

"I guess so, if they're going to stay," He grinned. "Else we wouldn't be a true mate band."

"Eh heh." Murdoc turned to Russell.

He shrugged. "If they're in."

"Fine. Noodle?"

She paused. "If you aren't inviting ladies over to your 'love shack' practically every other night or so. And if you quit exploding your tantrums onto everybody else, physically and emotionally. Talk it out. Unless it's seriously necessary." Of course no one could get what they wished for twenty-four-seven; she was just spilling years of honesty.

"I will need a bit of aid on the first one," He noted. "But your spot is still wide open."

"Murdoc," Russell warned.

"Alright, alright. I comprehend completely." And he kept his word still. Anything for them if he could continue his band-their band- without being locked up into chains.

Noodle grinned.

"Murdoc-san, you really, really want us back together." He gave every detail of proof and won her forgiveness, most of it anyway.

Murdoc inhaled slowly, and the other three translated the gesture as a 'yes.'

"Deep inside your soul," She continued. "You would save our lives. You have hidden it under false evil affair. This brave statement took you eleven years, three months, fifteen days, and thirteen hours for you to shape."

"And you call them realizations."

They were about to clean up there dishes and head to the recording studio to discuss their new album when Murdoc asked her one last thing.

"Have any spare punching bags I can borrow?"

"If that will stop you from scolding 2d for nuisances, absolutely," She replied, unzipping her guitar case and brushing off the dusty strings. "I'll toss them in fron of your Winnebago."

"Whatever..."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: The Fall

(Note: I decided to continue this and I wanted to thank those who read/reviewed! J)

An overloaded brown suitcase flopped onto Noodle's naked mattress. Her clothes, pillow, quilt, and gadgets crammed into a 4' by 12' inch case with a tedious latch. A wallet and guitar strapped to the chain handle.

Noodle grinned widely in a mischief manner and tore down the wallpaper in her room. Narratu and Sensei and Fruits Baskets fell to the turquoise rug. She tossed them into a pile overflowing her recycling bin. The Gorillaz never owned one, yet her tranquil personality struck with creativity. She melted some plastic from the pink beach and wore latex gloves to protect her skin from burns. Then, she folded the mass slop and formed a bin. She laid it outside to dry in the scorching sun.

She gathered her belongings and left her empty bedroom (Exceptions for the stack in the corner) and walked down the hallway and knocked on 2ds' door.

"Are you almost finished? Murdoc-san and Russell-san are waiting in the helicopter," Noodle informed the frontman.

"Can people quit worrying about me?" A Crawley accent blurted from behind the door, muffled behind a pillow. "Hold on a second." Noodle rolled her eyes and waited politely by the wall. When she was younger, she would lay down on the dusty floor and peek through the crack. Now she obviously knew better. "Okay, let's go!"

"You did not get any sleep last night?" Noodle asked, shocked. 2d burst through his door with a sack of equipment, sharp edges jeering in the back. His eyelids squinted as if they hurt. White highlights began to show in his eyes. "Did you remember you painkillers?"

"Yes," He patted her head.

"Hey!" She stepped back.

"Now you know how I feel," He said, gravelly. Noodle sighed.

"I was joking." She followed him downstairs. She meant it, she sensed the aura of dismal life in him, so shallow."What is

wrong? You stride is like molasses."

"Is life such a big joke to you?" he blurted. Noodle froze.

"No, 2d, your acting queerly ridiculous."

He looked as if he wanted to slap her in the face, straight and bruise-bare. Instead, he turned around with enough force to react, but Noodle just followed him outside and locked the front door. They shared the last ride on the lift in silence, which felt awkward for both of them. When they reached the helicopter, 2d muttered an apology.

"It's just Murdoc." He explained and stormed up the steps. Noodle sat in front next to Russell. 2d slumped in the back seat next to Murdoc.

"It's about time, dullard," Murdoc spat.

'Whatever…"

"Man, that's my line," He teased.

2d flanked between the two front seats as Russell examined the map.

"Murdoc," He pointed. "Los Angeles takes about ten hours landing from Essex, New York is six."

"Yea, but all the hillbillies live there," he criticized.

'That's out west," Russell glowered. "And that is a stereotypical generalization." A propeller bloomed and roared as the helicopter lifted from solid ground. "Boston Harbor it is."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Cougar Eyes

From the crammed, coal black helicopter, the band mates walked along in a peculiar silence. Murdoc broke through when the doorknob jerked about. He groaned as the stubborn knob refused to be baffled by his frustrated fist.

Russell shook his head in impatient annoyance. 2d glared at Murdocs' back. Noodle hid her face within her jacket hood. Since they were in a continuous confliction, now was not the time to be recognized.

"Here," Russell offered and pushed Murdoc aside. He then turned the tedious doorknob clockwise. They paced through the octagonal room, widespread and crowded. Glancing from gate to gate, Murdoc chanted their ticket number.

"38291… 38291…"

Noodle slipped out of her backpack and unzipped the front compartment. She scribbled the number down on a sheet of notebook paper, ripped a morsel shred, and handed it to Murdoc.

"Ur… thanks, Noodle," He mumbled, a bit mortified.

Entering gate number 38291, the four of them approached a man dressed neatly in a blue uniform and pocketed with pens and a mini notepad.

"Hello, we will stamp your ticket and then you will unpack your invisible valuables for checkups before leaving the airport. Show your legal passport and id, please," He told Murdoc. He pointed to a white tub compartment on a long metal plank. He eyed each musician suspiciously before releasing them. Sneakers were removed for naked toes to touch ice.

Murdoc removed his backpack first. 2d followed and removed head to toe the entire metal clang he carried: a watch, pocket change, ps3, et cetra. Noodle stuffed her bag in the tub on top. It was stuffed along with her radio helmet and Japanese gadgets. Four bags swallowed by a detector and least surprisingly beeped. Six eyes fell on Murdoc. The suited man frowned.

"Change," Murdoc explained simply, yet gazes proved not to be gullible. He flinched as to his fear of 2ds' glare. He wanted to shake some sense into him.

"Reveal please," The man instructed with a strong Indian accent. Murdoc fumbled in his bag for his wallet and rolled his eyes. The machine beeped after a second swallow. "Eh, one more try and you'll follow my friend here." He pointed to an officer down the aisle, shaking his head in disgust. Murdoc shook vigorously in reaction.

Noodle walked forward and grinned. "Excuse me, my friend here is a dental hygienist and works nationwide. He carries his equipment across lights, no harm." She shook Murdocs' bag and felt for a popsicle stick from the freezer. Murdoc growled but thanked her when the man surrendered and let them pass through.

"A tongue depressor?" Russell snorted when they were a good distanced far from the aisle. "Nice one."

"Ey, look there! Planes' a coming," 2d pointed down lane 50, and they chased frantic crowds into the long tents. "What a waste of cloth!" They were, unfortunately, the last ones to step into the plane. They trudged into the storage area. A woman with a light brown ponytail and a face mic directed them to sit up front, where the last available seats reserved for some passengers. Murdoc smirked as his plan succeeded. Russell and Murdoc sat behind the pilot, Noodle and 2d parallel to their backseats. Noodle peered out the window and examined the cumulous clouds passing vertically. When the plane tipped its nose, she leaned back and peered around her objectively.

"2d! Is that…?" Noodle hissed softly. She unraveled his fastened lanky fingers considerately without tension of pain and took the object away from him. Her heart pounded like a hammerlock and she froze with her veins exposed. 2d licked his lips without any expression. "Why? A pocketknife? Don't think about that, do not think like that for your own good as well as we care for your safety." As several concerned or nosy passengers began to quiet down, some like Murdoc and Russell turned around. 2d blushed. Did they hear her? Did they notice him? Yet a storm of anger churned inside of him.

"I hate…you," he whispered without lips moving, and only Noodle could vaguely understand. She sighed and leaned toward his ear.

"No, 2d-san. You do not. Just sleep over it," She suggested.

"No thanks," He stuttered. "And I meant that toward him." He jabbed a finger at the back of the seat in front of him.

"What do you want, dullard," Murdoc grinned slyly and peered into 2ds' healed crispy cream-colored eyes. 2d glared at the floor. More people wisely chose to mind their own ways while the conversation grew almost mute. Russell glared at Murdoc yet he had expected him to act this way like usual.

"No, no, no," 2d muttered, shaking his blue spikes.

"You don't have to say anything unless its harmful," Russell offered. 2d lowered his head.

"Thanks… no…"

"Earth to the face…" Murdoc began, a grin spreading.

Russell shoved his shoulder while Noodle sent him a death stare.

"Sadist," 2d mumbled a tone louder. This gave attention here and there. "That is what you are."

"Eh, right…" Murdoc shrugged. This was going to be a long flight, six hours.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: So What?

I was raised by one, he thought. So what? I am one. He shook his head and stood up.

"Sit down, we're still on the landing lane," Russell warned hm.

"Whatever…"

"Don't 'whatever' me. What was that back there just hours ago," he asked sarcastically. "You're lucky nobody nosed up."

"You know I don't care…"

"Say what you want, I'm deaf now."

"Wiseass…"

In the back seat, the window shuttered from the landing impact. Noodle rubbed the ache on her head as she woke up and stretched her hamstrings as far as she could without disturbing the seat in front of her. She glanced toward 2d who was staring mundanely at a newspaper. She leaned over and whispered a good morning.

"Morning," he muttered and cracked a small smile. "Nice sunrise."

Orange streams of light sprayed the horizon. A cast of blue rimmed the clouds with golden shadows.

"I know," she answered. "We went back in time."

He simply nodded back at the stretcher. The newspaper flapped lazily over his lanky fingers and Noodle peaked at the headline. Practically, the section based on sports, second to the weather forecast worldwide. Third below, was about extreme miracle work in the Middle East.

"He's dead," She notified.

2d nodded.

"They won't burn in the sun anymore," He examined, satisfied. "No need for a gun anymore."

'Is everybody in?" She asked and smiled. He blinked at her in shock.

'Noodle, you didn't want to be reminded about…"

"No, no, I meant remembering in a positive, unperfected way."

"But reality is what it is."

Noodle rolled her eyes since that was her exact point.

"Morning, you two, let's get our possessions from the storage room," Russell called up front. Murdoc lead them to the back.

"It's about time these idiots let us off," Murdoc muttered.

"Actually, they aren't idiots," 2d corrected. "They're doing their jobs for our safety."

"I'd much rather be strapped in an oxygen mask and swim miles in the Atlantic."

Noodle smiled to herself. She did not want to speak aloud though. Ties were connecting. Then again something was missing.

"Excuse me while I take my pills," 2d strapped his bulky bag over his shoulders and knocked on the bathroom door.

"See you sometime," Murdoc called after the door swung shut. Nobody bothered to comment. His sharp tongue was getting old.

"Lines are shrinking," Noodle announced, peering her violet head out the door. "We'd better hurry."

"Yeah, I realized," 2d called from the bathroom. He walked out approximately two minutes after all relieved. "It's funny I feel so vibrant right now."

"Well, good riddance," Murdoc said. "You got a passport?"

"You're covering right?"

"Forgot," Murdoc slapped his forehead and stocked off into the aisle, them following a safe distance behind. "Happy, Stuart?"

"Wait…what do you mean?" 2d furrowed his ee brows as his luggage case thumped down the staircase. Noodle jumped to the sidewalk behind him. Russell settled his bags down for a moment.

"I'm going to purchase a passport for your finally grateful behind." Murdoc rose his hands in the air and snickered, yet in a peculiar way, not mean quite. "Your parents are looking for you. They said something about your sister being... uh, pregnant?"

"Why do you care? You don't know what happened to her," 2d fumbled with words trying to draw back his memory. Before the island, the tower, the landfill, the cemetery.

"Miasha…" he breathed and froze with melancholy silence. "She's alive?"

"Thought you should know," Murdoc suggested. Eventually, anyway. After was finished with you."

"What happened to her?" Noodle asked in soft concern. "Sorry if you don't want to tell."

2d shook his head. Shadows bobbed past their circle. The story was complicated. Miasha Pot was a beggar eleven years ago, shipping from house to house in secrecy, back in Oslo, Norway.

"How did you find out about her? Do my parents know?"

"Hah! I met her in the Feel Good tower, believe it or not, pushed her along with us, cracking the window. They could care less than I ever did when I bashed you face…"

2d looked hurt his way.

"Ah, I shouldn't have said that."

"Well," 2d shrugged. "You are who you are and you can't change. And in given will, I think I may leave now."

"Do you want to find Miasha?" Russell demanded yet for his sake of not whipping. "We will find her. We will make her feel comfortable."

2d turned cold as stone. "My parents don't love us," He stuttered. "I guess you saved my life, but I don't want to be in your life, Murdoc. Not if we end up like this."

"Like what?" Murdoc asked.

"Like your tearing me apart on purpose. You brought her up! Where are my parents?"

"Italy. Florence," He explained. "Wait a second. Just listen. You're adopted. Miasha was the raised one, the 'wrong one.'"

"What! Why, because she's black? Dislexic?"

"Uh… could be," Murdoc whispered, not sure how to respond.

"I was good for nothing?"

"No," Murdoc stamped back. "Not a good for nothing, with your soul. Ay, I can't believe this. That's why I took you in. Then you grew afraid. I wanted something different."

Noodle shook her head in disgust,. "Murdoc, call it love!" She wanted to slap him in the face. "Or a good tie."

"Companionship," Russell offered. "At the least. You'll never have followers if you're a sadist, at least not in a nice way."

"Sing this," Murdoc smirked. He shoved a scroll of paper in 2ds' face. "Maybe you'll feel better. We'll leave Phoner and find Miasha in Arizona. Trust me."

"Thing is, I can't," 2d admitted straightforward.

They all huddled in a corner of bricks and isolated their conversation from pedestrians. The ambience dripped damp with coldness. A roof overhead shielded the sidewalk from sleet.

"Just learn," Murdoc gritted his teeth. "Our band is nothing without a whole."


End file.
